Lone man shovels Boston Marathon finish line (PHOTO)

The nearly two feet of snow from Winter Storm Juno that piled up on New England Monday and Tuesday didn't stop one intrepid Bostonian from shoveling the Boston Marathon finish line and making sure it was visible. 

The lone shoveler, whose identity was unknown at first, has now been identified as Chris Laudani, who works as a bartender at Back Bay Social Club.

Help Boston solve a #BlizzardOf2015 mystery. #WhoShoveledTheFinishLine? #BostonStrong pic.twitter.com/1icgPcW9Vc
— Boston Police Dept. (@bostonpolice) January 28, 2015

The rest of the 26-mile course, and particularly the sidewalks that line it, are likely to be under snow for some time. But, thanks to Laudani, at least the finish line, an important landmark in the city and running community, whose significance only increased after the Boston Marathon bombings in 2013, is clear: Boston Strong.

“I only did it to send a message…I love the Boston Marathon and everything it stands for, the finish line doesn’t deserve to be covered in snow,” Laudani told Boston magazine.

#WhoShoveledTheFinishLine? Turns out he's a bartender on Boylston Street: http://t.co/eZtZbXusWJ pic.twitter.com/AbhzNfVG6M
— Runner's World (@runnersworld) January 28, 2015

The photographer, Charles Hillman, was staying at a local hotel when he noticed someone clearing the snow outside his window. He told Runner’s World Newswire that, after posting the image on his Twitter account, “I had no idea it would have this response.”

Mysterious man in a black veil with backpack forces evacuation of Boston Marathon finish line (VIDEO)

A mysterious looking man wearing a black dress with a large black back pack under a black veil prompted Boston police to evacuate the area near the Boston Marathon finish line after he barged toward the area with the suspicious package Tuesday night at about 7:00 p.m.

The surreal scene began when a single man — whom Boston police said appeared to be "not of sound mind" — ran toward the area where the tragic bombing took place one year ago and repeatedly screamed “Boston Strong” before being tackled by police.

The man was also wearing a cape around the backpack, a witness said.

Police told pedestrians to evacuate while they brought in a bomb squad to inspect the bag.

Boston police looking at suspicious black backpack from a distance. Area still in lockdown pic.twitter.com/oegxxayHBU
— Scott Sullivan (@SullyBunz) April 15, 2014

The Boston Police Department said around 8:15 p.m. that they had a male suspect in custody in connection to the incident.

Police Superintendent Randall Halstead said the man had a rice cooker in his backpack and is being charged with possession of a hoax device. He also faces charges faces charges of disturbing the peace and disorderly conduct.

The backpack was blown up by the bomb squad as a precaution and a second unattended backpack found at the scene was a misplaced photographer's bag.

Hours earlier a memorial to those victims of the 2013 attack took place at the race finish.

The 2014 marathon takes place next Monday.

Swan Racing customizes Sprint Cup car with 'Prayers for Boston' paint scheme

The Swan Racing Toyota of driver David Stremme will run a special paint scheme in tribute to the victims of the attack on the Boston Marathon at Kansas Speedway for the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series STP 400 this weekend.

The No. 30 Toyota will be customized with a ribbon and the words "Prayers for Boston" in the paint scheme.

Earlier this season, Swan Racing honored the victims of the Newtown, Connecticut school tragedy at the Daytona 500 with a special paint scheme and by changing the car number from 30 to 26 in honor of the 26 victims at Sandy Hook Elementary School.

"The tragedy at the Boston Marathon is shared by all Americans," said Brandon Davis, Swan Racing owner. "Swan Racing and the NASCAR community offer its support to the Boston community, the victims and all those affected by the senseless act of terror."

“Boston is a strong, united community and will not be intimidated,” said Davis' wife Tara, who is a Boston native. “I am pleased that we are able to use our race team to support my hometown with a 'Prayers for Boston' message."

The tragedy touched NASCAR in a more direct way too. Sean Collier, the MIT police officer who was shot and killed by the two suspects, was the brother of Andrew Collier, a machinist for Hendrick Motorsports.

Dead Boston Marathon 'bomber' was avid boxer, hoped to make U.S. Olympic Team

The Boston Marathon bombing suspect, killed early this morning in a shootout with cops, was reportedly an avid boxer and Olympic hopeful with aspirations of making the U.S. Boxing Team.

Records show that the dead suspected terrorist, Tamerlan Tsarnaev,26, a community college dropout who became a devout Muslim over the past several years, had even competed in the 2009 Golden Gloves National Tournament of Champions in Salt Lake City in the 201-pound weight class, according to the National Golden Gloves official web site.

Tsarnaev lost a 1st-round match to Lamar Fenner from Chicago.

Tamerlan won the heavyweight title at the New England Golden Gloves in Lowell, Mass. qualifying him for the national event. He posed for a photographer’s picture essay “Will Box for Passport,” a photo gallery on the Photoshelter.com website of Johannes Hirn. The photographer followed the 201-pound Tamerlan through his bouts at the Salt Lake City tournament.

In the photo essay, the dead suspect revealed he had struggled to fit into American culture.

"I don't have a single American friend, I don't understand them,” he said.

As a devout Muslim, Tamerlan didn’t drink or swear.

“He talked about it [religion] a lot,” said John Allan, owner of the Wai Kru Mixed Martial Arts Center in Boston where the dead suspect often fought.

“Tamerlan was an amazing boxer, one of the top boxers in New England,” Allan said. “Even though he wasn’t professional, he would floor the top professional boxers in New England’’ in unofficial matches.

“He always kept his shirt on. He did not like swearing at all.”

Allan told The Globe that the young fighter loved boxing but didn’t like the gym, which he believed promoted a culture opposite to his Muslim beliefs.

“In fact, he had a big problem with the boxing gyms he was training at because he thought they were very disrespectful because they used foul language and joked around a lot and weren’t what he considered professional,” said Allan.